Days after the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday decided to withdraw security given to five top separatist leaders in the Valley. A few days later, the Hurriyat leader was put under house arrest ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the state. In the past decade, Bhat has on several occasions been accused of going against the separatist narrative in the Valley. Bilal LoneA senior separatist leader, Bilal Lone represents the ‘Peoples Independent Movement’ in the Hurriyat Conference. He is the son of separatist leader Abdul Ghani Lone who was assassinated in 2002 and the elder brother of BJP ally Sajjad Lone.

Source: Indian Express February 17, 2019 15:39 UTC